A Year of Virtual Meetings and Hugs: What Do You Miss From Pre-pandemic Life?

David Townsend and Lisa Steele speak at the 2020 ALTA SPRINGBOARD. Want to attend this year's virtual SPRINGNOARD event (March 16-18)? Click here for info.

Can you believe it? It was one year ago today that the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Two days later, the United States declared a national emergency and the country started shutting down.

While stay-at-home orders affected millions of workers, the title and settlement services industry pressed on as “essential businesses” and helped facilitate closings for a record-breaking $4.3 trillion in mortgages during 2020.

But what do you miss most from your pre-pandemic life? According to responses on ALTA’s social media channels, the overwhelming majority miss travel, friends and hugs.

David Townsend, president of Agents National Title Insurance Co. and a member of ALTA’s Board of Governors, echoed many comments about missing in-person events such as ALTA ONE, ALTA SPRINGBOARD and ALTA Advocacy Summit.

Linda Aparo, director of sales and marketing at reQuire, misses her “peeps.”

“I can't wait to run across a room and jump into someone's arms. Beware—it could be you!”

PropLogix tweeted they miss having their team in the same physical location, but added they enjoy seeing teammates in their natural surroundings with children, pets and laundry in the background.

“Blur all you want. We see it,” the company joked.

Like many others, Joe Powell, vice president and managing underwriting counsel for Fidelity National Title Insurance Co., said he misses the “the warm embrace of friends.”

“I mostly miss the physical presence of people without concern for our health,” he added. “This is a relationship business and relationships are ‘in real life.’ But I don't begrudge the inconveniences of the last year. If we're not alive and healthy, it's kind of hard to do business anyway.”

Share what you've missed over the past year in the comments.